?Chapter 786:


    As the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, Corrine stirred from her dreamlike state. Her hands, stained with blood, told the grim story of a night filled with pain. She realized with a start that he, too, had been wounded.


    Yet, when she sought him out, he had vanished into the ether, leaving behind only the faintest trace of himself. There was a lingering scent, something dark and earthy—a mixture of ebony and sandalwood, subtle but unmistakable.


    With a sudden jolt, Corrine’s eyes snapped open, and she found herself staring directly into Nate’s face. For a moment, she was frozen, caught off guard by his proximity.


    “Go back to sleep,” Nate murmured, his voice soft, as he gently wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into the warmth of his embrace.


    Corrine nestled against him, inhaling the cool, familiar scent that calmed her racing heart. It was soothing, like the first breath of fresh air after a storm.


    But try as she might, sleep eluded her, her mind still tangled in the remnants of the dream. Theyy together, their heartbeats gradually synchronizing, as though the world had slowed just for them.


    Nate’s lips brushed her temple, warm and tender, the sensation sending a shiver down her spine. He pressed a soft kiss to her hairline, his breath a gentle caress on her skin.


    “It tickles,” Corrine murmured, pulling away slightly, her smile a quiet ripple in the stillness.


    Though her eyes remained closed, her hand, almost of its own ord, slid down to his waist, her touch lingering as if trying to grasp the fragments of something fleeting.


    But for Nate, her touch was a spark, igniting something within him. His breath caught, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he grasped her wrist.


    “Are you trying to seduce me?” he asked.


    L?t??τ ch?ρτ?rs ιn g??l?ov?l??.??о??


    Corrine smirked, the corner of her mouth curving upward. “Isn’t it just that your self-control iscking?”


    Nate raised an eyebrow, a glimmer of amusement dancing in his eyes. Her ability to shift the me was certainly improving.


    “Are we going to visit my grandma tonight?” he asked, lifting her hand to his lips for a fleeting, tender kiss.


    Corrine nodded, her response simple but warm. “Sure.”


    As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the world, they walked side by side toward Fragrance Garden, where Evelyn awaited.


    The moment Evelyn saw them, she set aside her work, her face lighting up with joy. “Corrine,e here. I need to take a good look at you.”


    “Evelyn,” Corrine responded, her voice soft with affection as she approached.


    Evelyn’s eyes sparkled with delight as she sped Corrine’s hand, her gaze sweeping over her, as if trying to measure every inch of her wellbeing. Her eyes finally paused, lingering on Corrine’s belly.


    Feeling Evelyn’s intense stare, Corrine shifted ufortably, unsure of how to respond.


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